Andrew Spellman

Elder Andrew L. Spellman was born on August 15, 1916, and departed this life on July 20, 2017. He was the oldest child of the late Andrew and Gracie Spellman, of Belcross, North Carolina. He is the first of twelve children of which the two youngest are still alive. On January 9, 1940, Elder Spellman marries his sweetheart, the late Evangelist Maude M. Thornton Spellman. In 1946 he, his wife, and their first two children, moved to Lincoln, Delaware, from North Carolina. The family joined the Welcome Full Gospel Holiness Church under the leadership of the late Bishop David H. Shockley. Elder Spellman did his first work over again and served as a Sunday school teacher and as an active deacon. He held many offices in the church. One of his first sermons was “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” He was appointed the assistant pastor of Welcome Full Gospel. Around 1957 he was called out on the mission field, where he ran revivals and had Sunday school on labor camps and bible study in the saints’ home. Elder A. Spellman owned a piece of land in Ellendale, Delaware; two or three miles from where he lived. He decided to build a block building and used it to have services on Sundays, Tuesday nights, and Friday nights. He named our church “New Shiloh” in memory of his home church, in Shiloh, North Carolina. In 1958, he and the late Evangelist Maude Spellman joined the Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas, Inc. He served as pastor and shepherd from 1958 until 2007. Elder Spellman held many positions in this church and in the community. He worked at the Sussex Poultry Factory, in Farmington, attending chickens. He also worked as a construction laborer and joined the local union, which allowed him to work on Dover Air Force Base and at Delaware State College (now Delaware State University). He was a great example of helping others. He was a faithful husband and a great provider for his family. He believed in training up a child in the way that they should go, and that they would not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6) He taught his children to pray; when to pray, how to pray, and to pray for each other. He expected them to obey him and to respect themselves and others. Although there were many obstacles in his life, God took him through or delivered him out of them through fasting and prayer. Because he didn’t finish school, he made sure all of his children did. Many people were saved through Elder Spellman’s ministry. He truly believed in the miracle of healing. He often said, “believe it; speak it, and it shall come to pass.” St. John 1:1 and Romans 8:1were some of his favorite scriptures. He was the father and advisor of Maryland/Delaware District. He was the Delegate to the general council for Ministers of Maryland/Delaware district. He was a member of pastors alliance for Milford Middle School District and a member of ECCIA, to get clean water for the community and the surrounding areas. He was a lifetime member of the NAACP of the Milford Slaughterneck Branch. Elder Spellman was preceded in death by his parents; nine of his siblings; his wife of 72 years and nine months; his oldest son, Leonidus Spellman; one of his twin sons, Roland Spellman; and one granddaughter, Rhonda Smith. He leaves to cherish his memory, youngest brother, Henry Luke Spellman (Rose); youngest sister, Esther Collins of Chesapeake, VA; his children, Miriam Celestine Harris (Luke) of Dover, DE; Ronald S. Spellman of Camden, DE; Leola M. Spellman Coutourier of Dover, DE; Matthew O. Spellman (Diya) of San Diego, CA; Linda B. Spellman, Ellendale, DE; Weldon M. Spellman (Patricia) of Bear, DE; Timothy W. Spellman of Dover, DE; Charlotte M. Wood (Robert) of Catonsville, MD; Thornton L. Spellman (Lisa) of Dover, DE; and Gracie A. Spellman of Puerto Rico; 30 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren, seven great-great-grandchildren; a host of Godchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Lovingly Submitted The Family To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Andrew Spellman, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.

Andrew Spellman

August 15, 1916 - July 20, 2017